This pork shoulder recipe takes a lot of time in the oven, but little time from the cook. It’s a bit like pulled pork dressed up for company and is perfect for winter gatherings.–Melissa Pasanen with Rick Gencarelli

LC Some Love For Leftovers Note

We can’t imagine much, if any, of this supple, subtly aromatic pork roast being left over. But the authors note that, should this happen, you can warm whatever’s left of the recipe in covered dish. While you’re at it, wrap some tortillas in foil and toss ’em in the oven as well. Then shred the pork and serve it with julienned green cabbage tossed with a quick sauce of sour cream thinned with a little orange juice and seasoned with ground cumin, coriander, and salt to taste. That’s what they suggest, anyways. We’re not going to argue.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).

2. Pat the pork roast dry. If your pork roast comes with a netting to hold it together, cut the netting off and tie the roast a couple times around with some kitchen twine. (There’s nothing worse than cutting off the netting after the roast is done and seeing the entire mouthwatering crust go with it.) Also, check your label to see if you have bought “enhanced” pork, which is injected with a salty brine. If so, cut the salt in the rub by half.

4. Finely grind the fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Add the salt, pepper, orange zest, and garlic and grind them together into a rough paste. Rub the paste all over the roast and place it in a roasting pan. Roast the pork for about 3 hours.

5. Add the fennel and orange wedges to the pan, tossing to coat them in the juices, and roast for another 30 minutes. Turn the fennel and orange wedges and continue to roast the pork. After 4 to 4 1/2 hours total roasting time, the meat should be completely tender and shred easily when you pull it with a fork, the fennel should be soft and caramelized, and the orange wedges should also be caramelized.

6. Let the roast sit for a few minutes before carving. Serve with the fennel and orange wedges.

Hey, there. Just a reminder that all our content is copyright protected. Like a photo? Please don't use it without our written permission. Like a recipe? Kindly contact the publisher listed above for permission before you post it (that's what we did) and rewrite it in your own words. That's the law, kids. And don't forget to link back to this page, where you found it. Thanks!

Recipe Testers Reviews

I loved how fuss-free this dish was: pop the meat in the oven, ignore it for a few hours, and then when you take it out, it’s all gorgeously dark brown and crusty on the outside, and pink and juicy inside. The fresh flavors of the orange and fennel were perfect together with the pork — though I might add more fennel bulbs next time, simply because they were so delicious (caramelized, with a juicy crunch) and I wanted more.

The dish was easy to make and the results were outstanding. A perfect counterpoint to the dreariness of inclement fall weather. We followed the recipe to the “T” but the orange slices never created the caramelized effect noted in the recipe.

This turned out great. I would not have thought of pairing fennel with pork but it was great. The orange was also nice. The pork did exactly what it said and just fell apart, was tender, moist, juicy, and tasty. I let the roast rest (tented under foil) for 15 minutes and it held the juices very well. My children said, “Daddy, this is really good. What is it ?” It was easy to make and excellent. I did need to wash the fennel bulb well, but it turned out much better than I expected. I served it with spaetzle and acorn squash.

Oh my, how I love dishes that cook themselves, dishes that you start hours in advance, then ignore until they’re ready. When I made the paste with the orange peel and fennel seeds, I was surprised by how much it reminded me of some Indian pastes I’ve used in the past — it must have been the fennel seeds smelling like fenugreek. The whole house smelled wonderful as the pork roasted and we were pretty hungry by the time we sat down to eat. The recipe turned out exactly as was written, the meat deliciously tender, the caramelized oranges and fennel providing the perfect foil to the pork. It actually smelled so good and had been so easy to cook that we were expecting to be let down by the taste, but it was a very well- balanced dish, the meat succulent, with enough juices to serve as an orangey, fennel-y sauce. (More Arabic than Indian at the end.) My guests were silent and fast-fingered, nods and glances silent approval of what was on their plates. We’ll be making this again. Very soon.

I found this incredibly easy to make, the hardest thing about it was just waiting all that time for it to cook because the smells wafting from the oven are far too tempting. I’m usually not a huge fan of pork and it’s definitely not my first choice on the menu when eating out, but the classic flavor combination of fennel and orange comes together with the pork belly and sweetens it in a hugely delectable way. This is well worth a try!

Yeah, Bijouxs, it’s funny how sometimes cravings for a particularly thing just sorta seems to get in the air and suddenly you find it everywhere. And nope, don’t think one can ever have too many pork recipes…

I think rice or couscous would be a natural, Mel. You could also do a nice mashed potato (we have a few on the site, whether you want something simple and lovely like Fork-Mashed Potatoes from David Tanis or an uber velvety puree that’s almost as much butter as it is root vegetable. Anyone else have any thoughts?

Absolutely divine! Used a probe thermometer and baked the shoulder in the oven for 4.5 hours until 190 degrees. Followed the recipe to the “T” and it was delicious!!
We tore into it and shredded it as soon as it was cool enough to touch. Shoving bits into our mouths and oohing and ahhing…once we could restrain ourselves from just standing at the counter and eating – we toasted some hawaiian sweet bread buns and piled the pork on w/ a little tangy BBQ sauce and some coleslaw with poppyseed dressing….oh my!

I’m like you, tc. Anything above 275°F makes me edgy as I know it’s going to sacrifice texture. No one who made this recipe complained, though. At any rate, I’m guessing at a lower temp the pork is going to need at least 6 hours in the oven, yes? I’m wondering if perhaps you toss in the fennel and orange about 4 or 4 1/2 hours into the roasting. Kindly let us know how it goes as I’d love to incorporate a note into the recipe above for others who, like you and me, prefer a slower approach.

An 8 pound butt roast at 275°F for 10 hours is a beautiful thing. I forgot to add the fennel and orange to the roasting pan towards the end (pouring wine and visiting with guests), so I improvised and made an orange and fennel salad to serve alongside. I may have wiped away a tear or two when I realized there were no leftovers … This recipe is a keeper!

Lovely, Toni! All of it. Especially the improv part. I actually think the salad sounds far more refreshing this time of year before the full weight of winter is upon us. Looking forward to hearing which recipe on the site you try next…

Then tell us. Have a picture you'd like to add to your comment? Send it along. Covet one of those spiffy pictures of yourself to go along with your comment? Get a free Gravatar. And as always, please take a gander at our comment policy before posting.